James Welch's "Winter in the Blood" (1974) and "The Death of Jim Loney" (1979) are excellent examples of work that remains essentially misunderstood throughout some three decades of interpretation. Attempts to define these two books in terms of mainstream modernism notwithstanding, they represent a phenomenon not unlike aspects of American folk…

Describes ways to promote literacy and appreciation for heritage by celebrating the literacy contributions of authors of color, such as Heritage Readings and African American Read-Ins. Offers suggestions of favorite selections by Hispanic, African American, Native American, and Asian American authors. (SR)

A college teacher discusses his experiences of departing from the established literary canon to teach Sherman Alexie's "Reservation Blues" as part of an upper-level American literature survey class. Students reacted to the novel and its characters, evaluated Alexie's writing techniques, and discussed their personal experiences with Native…

In this article, the author relates her experience during her interview with Indian poet Simon Ortiz in the summer of 1978. She recalls how she had been amazed at how down-to-earth Ortiz had been despite his achievements. Ortiz was an important writer and has contributed much to native Indian literature with his essays, poetry, and short stories.…

"House Made of Dawn" by N. Scott Momaday is about language and the sacredness of the word and about what can be understood as a peculiarly Native American theory of rhetoric. All things are hinged to the physical landscape, nature, and the implications nature bears upon language. In Momaday's book, language does not represent external…

Argues that it is useful to broaden students' horizons by exposing them to the rich folk heritage of many ethnic groups. Discusses resources and class activities which encompass Native American, Black American, and Asian mythology and folktales. (RS)

Describes how the use of Native American novels in the junior high English-as-a-Second-Language classroom allowed students to study themselves indirectly and write about their lives. (SR)

Argues that oral and written American Indian literatures should be part of American literature courses dealing with the conquest of the West, the local color movement, or regional literature. Describes a selection of the best examples of American Indian autobiography and fiction. (AEA)

Describes the creation and teaching of a high school elective course on American Indian literature, and discusses how a workshop on Native American literature challenged the teacher's beliefs and practices. Concludes that it is important to address the limitations non-Native readers bring to this literature but that those limitations need not…

Discusses N. Scott Momaday's book, "The Way to Rainy Mountain," and shows how, through studying this eloquent book, students learn about theme, plot structure, and personal values. Describes a class activity after reading the book, in which students compose a story based on information gathered from an elder member of their family, and…

Presents a bibliography of reading materials, fiction, and poetry, that may be used in language arts classes to dispel some of the misinformation about Native Americans. Provides a list of some of the elements that could be included in an educational unit on Native Americans. (TB)

Describes the problems inherent in teaching native Canadian Indian literature selections and explores the problems in finding high quality native literature to use in classes with increasing numbers of native Indians enrolled. (CRH)

Describes the beginnings of a concerted study of American Indian literature and calls for a systematic preparation and publication of a bilingual edition of surviving native American traditional repertories. (AEA)

Lists 26 books by and about American Indians. Titles include biographies, autobiographies, novels, and histories. (JL)

Aids teachers looking for literature selections of established literary worth which reflect the diversity of American culture. Discusses briefly the history and development of American Indian, Asian American, and Hispanic American literature. Offers annotated bibliographies of selections appropriate for use in secondary schools. (SR)